A/HRC/18/5 free and mandatory education. Morocco requested more information about measures taken to promote human rights training and education. Morocco made recommendations. 43. Chile noted Palau’s challenges and efforts with regard to the climate change. Chile urged the international community to attend Palau’s request for technical assistance, especially for the ratification of international instruments, the establishment of a national human rights institution, the fight against human trafficking, and the strengthening of its capacities to deal with climate change. Chile welcomed Palau’s pledge to issue a standing invitation to special procedures. Chile encouraged Palau to implement the National Plan of Action for Children. Chile made recommendations. 44. Slovakia commended Palau for guaranteeing free and compulsory education. Slovakia was concerned about the low legal age for criminal responsibility, the increasing incidence of sexual abuse of children and the human trafficking for the purpose of sex trade. Slovakia made recommendations. 45. Maldives noted the enormous challenges faced by Palau in promoting and protecting human rights because of its size, geography and capacity constraints. Maldives noted Palau’s pledge to ratify the remaining core human rights conventions, including CEDAW, which was pending approval in Parliament. It also noted Palau’s consideration of the establishment of a national human rights institution and that such a process can be lengthy and complicated. Maldives referred to Palau’s efforts to forge a positive partnership with the international community to realize its human rights obligations. Maldives made recommendations. 46. South Africa expressed appreciation that the national report not only set out the achievements of Palau but also the challenges it faced. South Africa appealed to the international community to heed Palau’s call for technical assistance and capacity building. While Palau’s report recognized domestic violence as a challenge, South Africa noted that there was no specific statute for addressing domestic violence and requested further information on the steps being taken to address this serious challenge. South Africa made recommendations. 47. Malaysia observed Palau’s keen awareness of the challenges it faced in protecting and promoting human rights in the country as well as its determination to address them. Given the prevailing circumstances and apart from the challenges faced in the field of civil and political rights, Malaysia understood that Palau faced equally, if not more, daunting challenges in the field of economic social and cultural rights, which included climate change, food security, environment degradation, disparity of social and economic well-being, alcohol and substance abuse and high mortality rates. Malaysia made recommendations. 48. Trinidad and Tobago recognized Palau’s progress on the achievement of the MDGs. Trinidad and Tobago noted that progress remained to be made on domestic violence and employment of women. Trinidad and Tobago shared Palau’s concerns about climate change and its implications for food, water security and adequate housing and urged the international community to respond to Palau’s call for assistance in addressing those issues. Trinidad and Tobago made recommendations. 49. China appreciated the progress made by Palau in the protection and promotion of human rights including in addressing human trafficking and improving the status of women. However, China expressed regret that Palau had not acceded to any core international human rights instruments except for the Convention on the Rights of the Child. China also noted with concern the considerable disparity in social and economic well-being, the limited opportunities for vulnerable groups and persons with disabilities, insufficient labour protection for local workers and discrimination against foreign workers. China made recommendations. 9